34 



DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 



Flowers small, yellow. Sepals reflexed, longer than the petals. Carpels in a 

 globular head tipped with a short recurved beak. May to June. 



Geography. — Common throughout the northeastern States, and west to 

 California. Damp and shaded places. 



Var. micranthus, Gray. (R. micranthus, Nutt.) Has whole plant more or 

 less clothed with soft hairs ; root leaves seldom cordate, some of them 3-parted ; 



divisions of those on the upper 

 parts of the stem more linear 

 and entire ; peduncles more 

 slender. 



Geography. — Mass., New 

 York, Miss., and West. In 

 dryer, more open grounds than 

 the species. 



2. R. acris, L. (Buttercup, 

 Wayside CroAvfoot. Garden 

 Buttercup, Biting Crowfoot.) 

 Stem erect, branched, 1 to 3 

 feet high, hairy, round, hollow. 

 Leaves on long stalks at the 

 base and on the lower parts of 

 stem, upper ones on short 

 sheathing petioles, di^-ided in- 

 to 3 parts or leaflets ; leaflets 

 lobed, segments acute, parts 

 sometimes linear. Flowers 

 large, bright-yellow, shining, 

 becoming double by cultiva- 

 tion. Petals obovate, larger 

 than the spreading sepals. 

 Carpels roundish, smooth, com- 

 pressed, terminated by a round- 

 ish recurved beak. June to 

 August. 



Geography. — This is a Eu- 

 ropean plant. It was brought 

 to northeastern N. America in 

 seed-grain by European colo- 

 nists, has spread over the At- 

 lantic States and Canada, and 



is reaching towards the West. Common in fields, especially damp meadows, 



and roadsides. 



3. R. ambigens, S. Wats. (R. alismaefolius, Gray, not Geyer.) (Water Plan' 

 tain, Spearwort). Leaves entire. Stem hollow, 1 to 2 feet high, falling when 

 young, rooting at lower joints afterwards assurgent. Leaves 3 to 6 inches long, 

 narrow, lanceolate, entire or toothed, acute, subpetiolate, clasping, especially 

 below, nearly sessile above. Petals 5 or 7, golden yellow, larger than sepals. 

 Flowers solitary. Petioles 2 to 3 inches long. Carpels flattened, large, and 

 armed with long, fine beak. June to August. 



Geography. — Northeastern North America, South Carolina, west to Oregon. 

 lu damp places, edges uf still water, coves of sluggish brooks. 



Ranunculus bulbosus (Bulbous Crowfoot). 



